These drug dogs and their handlers are part of a twelve-strong
nationwide team which is contributing to declining positive drug tests in prisons.
Double the number of drug dogs, increased surveillance at gates and checkpoints, new scanning equipment and intelligence gathering capabilities have all led to a marked reduction in drug use in prisons.
National Systems and Security Manager Karen Urwin says it’s unrealistic to expect any prison to be completely drug free, but with the help of the dogs and other strategies, Corrections is winning the battle.
“At present, 15 percent of random prisoner drugs tests have returned positive, compared to 34 percent in 1998,” she says.
A total of 1509 contraband items, mainly drugs and drug-related equipment, was confiscated from prison visitors in 2005, up from 698 in 2003.
Karen says the increased confiscation rate shows Corrections is getting better at stopping drugs from getting into prisons.
“It’s sometimes suggested that the increased confiscation rate shows an increasing problem, however when you see the rate in context, alongside the drop in positive drug tests, it’s clear that our extra surveillance is working.”
“But we’ve still got our work cut out for us. There are a lot of prisoners and their associates who are determined to get contraband into prisons by any means possible.”
Anyone who enters a prison, from delivery people to visiting families, can be searched.
The dogs also search prisoners, their cells and other prison property.
Dog Handler Peter Dalrymple-Mortleman says the dogs are not only adept at finding drugs - they have been known to find cellphones too.
“The dogs can smell if a prisoner has used drugs and then touched something like a cellphone. Their keen sense of smell means we sometimes find other contraband even if the drugs are gone,” he says.
The importance of detecting contraband and crime within prisons has been acknowledged by the Government, with $4.1 million set aside for this over the next four years.
The confidential and anonymous free phone number 0800 JAIL SAFE (0800 524 572) is for prisoners, visitors and anyone else to give Corrections information about drugs, contraband and any other aspect of prison life.
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Email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365.
ISSN 1178-8453